Fasting month

Azhar

Good afternoon,

Its that time of year where I'm obliged to fast for the whole month of ramadan. I wasnt originally going to do (already missed three) but going to start from tomorrow. Its fasting from 2am till 2130ish. No food or water allowed. I've been doing really well with my cycling, getting stronger and faster everytime i ride. Now because I have to fast until August 19th and can't realyl do any exercise because i simply won't have the energy i was wondering will fitness go down dramatically when i start commuting the 32mile round trip after i've done the fasting (19th august)? i'm hoping it doesnt but i'm not sure. worked very hard to where i am at the moment and would be disapointed to start from square 1 again.

i dont know if there is something i can do to keep the fitness up apart frmo going for a late night ride..which i'm not realyl keen on.

any riders out there fasting and given up cycling (for the short term) or still cycling whilst fasting??

whyamihere

Not sure how the fasting would come into it all, having never done it/looked into it, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how fast your form returns even if you take the month entirely off. You may struggle a little on the first couple of rides back, but your body very quickly switches back to cycling mode.

P_Tucker

Have you considered giving up religion? Then you could eat what you like when you like. There really are no downsides.

cyco2

If you're not allowed to eat food or drink water then try the alternatives. Eat boiled sweets (not considered to be food) and drink milk, end of problem.

jibberjim

You should still be able to cycle and have sufficient energy for some, you will have to go easier, but as it says above you will return quicker. But don't stop cycling, it won't be necessary.

Full Merckx

Good luck Azhar. Just cut back on the intensity of your ride and you should be ok. Ramadan must be hard this far north.

dw300

I don't understand .. can you eat between 2130 and 0200? If so then carb up then.

Ride your bike at low intensity and you'll burn mostly fat (that'll be plenty unless youre already pro athlete lean, and you'll have some sugars stored from if you can eat at night. You don't just burn energy on bike rides from food that you just ate before the ride if that's what youre worried about.

Azhar

Full Merckx wrote:

Good luck Azhar. Just cut back on the intensity of your ride and you should be ok. Ramadan must be hard this far north.

Thanks Merckx. It is really hard this year and will be for the next several years as fasting is during the summer months. longer days. etc.

dw300 i can eat as much as i want between 2130 and 0200 but even so if i cycle in to work, even if its just once a week, wont it be a bit dangerous? i'm speaking mainly about dehydration. travelling 16 miles to work without any water and not having anything to eat once i'm here. work till 4pm (i start at 8am) and then cycle back home again and wait till 2130 to eat. nah...i think it might get a bit too much. i might cycle just before I have to break my fast so at least i know that when i get home after cycling round the block, for example, i know i can have summat to eat and drink when i get back.

I was more concerned that i might lose my fitness and cycling might have been a bit too difficult to do again after fasting. but from what i;ve read above i dont think i have too much to worry about. so thanks for your input.

ut_och_cykla

Take it easier and give your body a chance to adapt over a few days to altered food & water intake. I've never tried fasting but I think after the first 3 or 4 days you will ok. It's not 'true' fasting - more an altered pattern of intake. And I also heard (please forgive me if I'm wrong) that you are permitted to not to follow Ramadan fasting strictly if you are involved in hard manual labour - which cycling could be? In which case you could at least allow yourself some water during & directly after your ride.
From the fitness point of view - do what you feel happy with - you won't lose much over a month - and think hard and short not too often rather than long slow now and again.
With the Olympics just round the corner there must be hundreds of Muslims facing the same quandry - hope you find a good solution.

monkeydan

I never understood why it's not acceptable for Muslims outside of Saudi to adhere to the sunrise / sunset times of Mecca. What if you lived within the Artic circle and Ramadan was during the summer when the sun doesn't set?

Sorry, I have nothing of value to add to this thread. Good luck Azhar.

jibberjim

ut_och_cykla wrote:

With the Olympics just round the corner there must be hundreds of Muslims facing the same quandry - hope you find a good solution.

The Team GB Muslims are all not fasting, See this Guardian piece, but make it up in other allowable ways (e.g. feeding the poor)

P_Tucker

monkeydan wrote:

I never understood why it's not acceptable for Muslims outside of Saudi to adhere to the sunrise / sunset times of Mecca. What if you lived within the Artic circle and Ramadan was during the summer when the sun doesn't set?

Sorry, I have nothing of value to add to this thread. Good luck Azhar.

Because the people that wrote the Koran didn't know about the arctic circle, obv.

dw300

monkeydan wrote:

I never understood why it's not acceptable for Muslims outside of Saudi to adhere to the sunrise / sunset times of Mecca. What if you lived within the Artic circle and Ramadan was during the summer when the sun doesn't set?

Sorry, I have nothing of value to add to this thread. Good luck Azhar.

You'd die I presume?

I heard fasting begins 10-12 minutes later at the top of the Burj Khalifa than on the ground!

Azhar

I love to answer all your questions about Islam but I was more concerned about maintaining my fitness during Ramadan when I couldn't eat or drink during the day. However, I have found a solution to this conundrum and going to stick with this solution.

Monkeydan. I will answer your question about fasting in the artic. One is not required to keep the fast during Ramadan if it would severely impact their health i.e if you live in the north pole. Most athletes would not fast because its an absolute requirement for them to stay strong because it's their job. People like Samir nasri, or Erin dzeko wouldnt fast otherwise this would affect their fitness and ultimately affect their position within their team. Quite right that they can make this up by giving money to charity.

Ohh my what have I started?

ut_och_cykla

Azhar - you've started something good - there must be lots of people round the world in your position or similar. I'm in Sweden and I know last year muslim visitors to the World Scout Jamboree found life rather difficult (sun up at 3, down at 23), but they explained their position and found good solutions (most were kids and didn't need to adhere to the strict rules - but leaders struggled a bit I believe)
Sensible questions and clear explanations just further understanding and tolerance - and we can never get enough of that!